Device for displaying merchandise



(No Model.)

DEVICE FOR DISPLAYING MERCHANDISE. No. 341,856.

PROOTOR.

Patented May 11, 1886.

Inveflor,

n'jrrnn STATES Parnnr Urrrcn.

HARRY H. PROOTOR, OE DE PUE, XVISGONSIN.

DEVICE FOR DISPLAYING MERCHANDISE.

f-llPEGcElCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 341,856, dated May II 1886.

Application filed August 15, 1885. Serial No. 174,495. (No model.)

To alflwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY H. PROCTOR, a citizen of the United States, residing at De Puc, in the county of Brown and State of \Viscousin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Devices for Displaying Articles of Merchandise, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in devices ior displaying articles of merchandise-- such as hosiery, gloves, napkins, towels, laces, handkerchicfs, and other articles-and for suspending the same from a line or other sup port and attaching price-tags thereto.

The device is composed of a continuous piece of galvanized or other spring wire, so bent as to form a pair of clamping-jaws at one end for grasping the article to be displayed, a spring coil or coils at the opposite end to impart the necessary elasticity, and an intermediate tagholder on one side for the reception of a label,

tag, or cord. The device may also be provided.

with a hook or clasp, whereby it can be detachably suspcndedi'rom a line.

The invention consists in the combination, arrangement, and construction of parts hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the annexed drawings, illustrating the invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved merchandise and tag holder. Fig. 2 represents the holder attached to an article of merchandise and atag or label therefor, the whole being suspended from a line.

It will be seen that the holder consists, essentially, ofa continuous piece of spring-wire,preferably galvanized and bent at or near its center to form a spring coil or coils, whereby the required elasticity is attained. From the spring coil or coils 1 the wire is bent or curved down on each side to form arms 2, having elbows 3. One of these arms 2 is somewhat longer than the other, and is provided above its elbow 3 with an outwardly-bent shoulder or hearing, 4, the wire below the elbow being bent slightly outward and then laterally and upward into the form of a circle, 5, that surrounds said shoulder. The lower terminating portion of the wire, forming the circle 5, is looped through said circle, around the elbow 2, and then extended laterally inward in the form of a lower arm, 6, having a downward bend or elbow, 7, that passes slightly beyond a similar bend or elbow formed on a like arm, which projects inward from the opposite side. Below the inner bends or elbows, 7 the opposite sides of the wire are extended down in the form of shanks S, for the clamping-jaws 9, that are formed by the free ends of the wire bent at right angles to the main frame of the device and into arectangular, circular, or other suitable form adapted to grasp and retain the article tobe displayed.

To the upper end of the holding device may be connected a hook or clasp, 10, for detachably suspending the holder with attached merchandise and tag from a line or other convenient support.

The usual manner of employing the merchandise and tag holder is clearly shown in Fig. 2, the article to be displayed being grasped by the clamping-jaws 9, while the price-tag or other label or card is inserted between the shoulder 41- and circle 5, which form a clasp of suiiicient elasticity to receive and hold the tag so that it can be readily removed when required without mutilation.

It will be seen that the jaws 9 for holding the article to be displayed are so formed as to readily grasp the article of merchandise without liability of inflicting injury by cutting,tearing, or otherwise. These jaws are operated for the insertion or removal of an article by simply taking the holder in the hand, with the thumb on the circle 5 and the forefinger on the opposite elbow, 2, and then pressing the opposite sides of the device slightly toward each other, which will cause the jaws 9 to open sufficiently for the reception of light and not very bulky articles of merchandise.

The device is particularly adapted for use in dry-goods and fancy-goods stores and in showwindows, where it is common to display goods by suspending them from a line or other sup port. It may also be attached to articlessuch as crockery and glassware or similar goods that are to be displayed with attached tag or label upon a counter or stand. In this case the jaws 9 will grasp the articles, as already described, and the tag or label will be inserted in the clasp or holder formed by the shoulder 4 and circle 5, as before explained, the hook 10, however, being dispensed with of merchandise, spring-coil 1, bent arms 2 6, or allowed to hang unused. for connecting said spring jaws and coil, an 15 What Iclaim isintermediate tag-holder, 5, integral with the 1. A combined merchandise and tag holder wire frame, and a suspending hook or clasp, composed of a single continuous piece of wire 10, substantially as described. bent to form a pair of clamping-jaws at its free i In testimony whereof I affix my signature in ends, with a spring coil or coils at its opposite presence of two witnesses.

having clampingjaws 9,for holding an article end, and provided on one side with an inter- HARRY H. PROOTOR. mediate tag-holder, substantially as described. XVitnesses:

2. Inacombined'tag and merchandisehold- F. G. CADY, er composed of wire, the combination of a frame A. MUNsoN. 

